Page 31 of Outnumbered
“Yes, let’s try that form next,” Silverowl said. He held out his hands, cupped together. “Can I carry you outside?”
Leona scooped me up as she stood. “No, I’ll carry her.” She gently cradled me in her arms, smiling at me as she walked into their backyard. “You really are super cute. I love it.”
Once in the backyard, she gently lowered her hands and I hopped out of them onto the grass.
“Wait!” Caleb shouted and ran out. He squatted down in front of me and ran his hand from the top of my head to my butt a few times. “You really are perfectly adorable, Ember. I just want you to know that. We all love you in this form.”
Branson dropped to a squat next to Caleb and held his hand out. I hopped forward and rubbed my cheek along it. “He’s right. I didn’t think I could possibly find you more adorable, but here we are.”
Their words did make me feel better.
“Okay, step back and let her shift into warrior form,” Silverowl ordered them. To me he said, “Remember what your warrior form looked like and how it felt.”
I bobbed my head, hopped a bit away from the guys, and closed my eyes. My magic gathered and spread throughout my body. After a pause, I felt it shift.
“Hot damn,” Triston breathed. “That’s amazing.”
I opened my eyes and everyone started circling around me, inspecting my new form. “I still need to learn how to move properly in this form. The legs are a lot different than my human ones.”
Silverowl nodded. “You definitely need to learn to run or hop fast as soon as possible. Actually, why don’t you start now?”
“Caleb, let’s work on your dragon-wolf warrior form,” Kylan ordered him.
“Riddick, have you tried to turn into a dragon since your connection with Ember?” Declan asked.
While the guys got instructions and training from the others, I tried to walk and I could, but when I tried to jog, it didn’t quite work. Switching to hopping, I tried that to move faster and found I could do a walk hop faster and faster until I was running quickly that way.
“Combining your movements definitely makes sense,” Silverowl nodded. “Well done.”
I preened at his praise. “Thanks.”
“How high can you jump side to side?” Leona asked.
The first attempt to jump sideways was an utter fail, but after a bit, I was finally able to do it, though rather slowly.
“Practice that until you can do it easily,” Silverowl ordered. “Also, practice hopping up and spinning around at the same time. The quicker you learn that, the quicker you’ll be able to protect your back.”
We spent two hours training before I collapsed on the grass, exhausted, and in my human form.
“Your homework this week is to shift into your rabbit form as often as possible,” Silverowl said. “I want it to be second nature.”
I raised my hand and gave him a thumbs-up. “Yes, sir.”
“Shall we go inside, let you all shower, and then play some games?” Leona suggested. “We have several fun card and board games.”
“More mimosas?” I asked as I sat up.
She rolled her eyes. “Duh.”
I got to my feet, staggering a bit, but Caleb caught me and helped me straighten. “You definitely need to work on your stamina.”
“That’s what she said,” I teased as I headed towards the house.
He scoffed. “Not to me, she didn’t.”
“How do you fit through the door with an ego that size?” Declan teased.
“Same way Uncle Thor does,” he replied with a smirk.